


Something So Strong

by homosociallyyours



Series: The Sweetest Thing [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega/Omega
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25243462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homosociallyyours/pseuds/homosociallyyours
Summary: Every moment Harry spends near Louis reveals another layer of his scent. It would almost be too much-- but really Harry can't get enough.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: The Sweetest Thing [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828744
Comments: 7
Kudos: 42
Collections: Prompt 2.4: Bronze





	Something So Strong

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge for the prompt "bronze". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/bronze), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge (including years 1-3), [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works). You can also find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/622306139518926848/wordplay-2020-every-week-for-five-weeks-a-prompt).

“Oh! I’d forgotten about the new hire.” Harry stood in the doorway, unable to make himself get any closer to Louis and his vanilla sugar scent. Niall cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes for a moment before he responded. 

“Not like you to forget something like that, H. You alright?” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Harry nodded. “Just, uhh, haven’t had my coffee yet today. So I’ll, um--” he jerked his thumb in the opposite direction and hightailed it out of there even as his body begged him to get closer to Louis to scent him properly. “That would be so, so bad,” he said to himself as he measured out coffee to make a pot. He huffed from the bag to try to neutralize the smell of vanilla that clung to his nostrils. 

Shaking his head, Harry tried to recall a time that he’d been able to smell someone so strongly outside of an intimate setting. There simply wasn’t one. And with Louis he hadn’t even been in the same  _ room.  _ He swallowed hard at the thought of all that could mean. 

As the coffee pot began to sputter and drip, Harry moved to the door to sneak another look at Louis. He had to crane his neck to do it, but in the end it was still a decent view. Louis’ skin was bronzed and glowing-- he looked as though he’d just returned from a tropical vacation --and his slightly shaggy hair stuck out from beneath a snapback, the perfect length to tickle at Harry’s nose if he kissed the back of Louis’ neck. 

“Fucking hell!” Harry forced himself to take a step back and stop staring at Louis. They were going to be working together-- Harry would probably be training him today --and he absolutely could not make him uncomfortable with creepy stares or sniffs. There had to be something to distract him. 

The coffee pot beeped just then, and Harry poured himself a cup, leaving it black to keep the aroma strong. He’d be a little over-caffeinated, but at least he wouldn’t be trying to work out Louis’ complex scent beyond the vanilla sugar and cinnamon he’d already detected. 

A few hours later, Harry’s plan wasn’t working as well as he’d hoped. Niall was sympathetic when Harry explained himself, but there wasn’t much to be done about Louis’ scent. At least not without making both Louis and himself very uncomfortable. He’d use a blocker strip tomorrow and hope that would be enough. 

In the meantime, every time Louis walked by Harry caught another layer of his scent. It reminded him of walking past a bakery as a child, inhaling the sugary smells when they drifted out the opening or closing door. Heavenly. Though in this case: torturous. 

He thought he’d finally made it when his shift was coming to an end. Niall had done most of Louis’ training today, keeping him apart from Harry, and Harry had been able to hold back the most embarrassing of his urges. It wasn’t until he’d clocked out and grabbed his things that he got hit with a wave of Louis’ scent like dark honey on his tongue. He stifled a whine at the smell. 

“Harry, wait--” A hand was on Harry’s back and he knew it was Louis’. Inhaling quickly through his mouth, Harry turned to face him, certain his discomfort was obvious. 

“Yes?” It was difficult to stop himself from inhaling, but Harry managed it somehow. 

“God, I know this is really inappropriate, but it’s absolutely been killing me all day. When you came in this morning, I--” 

“I am so sorry,” Harry said, restraining himself from reaching toward Louis. “I want you to know none of this is your fault, and I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable. It won’t be a problem in the future.” 

“What?” 

“Your-- or, sorry, my reaction to--” Harry paused, forgetting himself and taking a deep breath that enveloped him in Louis’ scent. He shook his head, trying to regain focus. “What did you mean?” 

“I-- your scent, I’m sorry but I’ve never had this experience before. When you walked into the kitchen I could tell? And all day it’s been getting stronger, and I’m planning on buying blocker strips the moment I leave so it won’t be a problem tomorrow, but it’s just--” 

“You smell amazing!” Harry’s voice was quiet but emphatic, and when Louis nodded back at him, he felt his shoulders sag with relief. 

“You too. And every time I breathe around you I’m hit with something new. It was cedar at first, then sandalwood. Grass and moss and-- this might sound really weird, but fresh water. From a stream, like.” 

“I thought someone had broken a vanilla bottle when I got here! And all day, god, you smell like the bakery I used to pass on my way into school. Cinnamon sugar and marzipan, caramel--” Harry took a little breath, sighing softly on his exhale. “Brioche.” 

Louis laughed. “Nobody’s ever said all that before. Usually just get ‘sweet’.” He rolled his eyes, and Harry noticed for the first time just how blue they were. Lovely. All of him was.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but would you like to go for a coffee some time? Or tea, you had tea earlier I think.” Harry was pretty sure Niall would hate him for this, but he’d rather ask forgiveness than permission right now.

“I did, yeah.” Louis nodded, lifting his hat and running his hand through his hair before putting it back on his head. “Nice you noticed.” Harry thought he noticed a slight blush on Louis’ cheeks, but he couldn’t quite be sure. “And yes, I’d like that.”

Harry smiled, dimples popping. “Tomorrow, maybe?” 

Louis nodded. “Sounds good.” 

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, the intensity of Louis’ scent growing. Harry was certain his was too, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. Maybe Louis wouldn’t be so much trouble after all. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to [Sus](http://lululawrence.tumblr.com) for running this challenge! It's always such fun. Hopefully I'll make a fic post this week! But. I might not? 
> 
> However this IS a series, so expect more next week!!


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